Difference between revisions of "Learn/An-HTML-Sitemap-Helps-Search-Engines-Discover-You"
(→Points of Order) |
KristinaWeis (talk | contribs) (simple version) |
||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
Indexing is important because if a page on a website hasn't been indexed by a search engine, it cannot show up for any search query in that search engine. | Indexing is important because if a page on a website hasn't been indexed by a search engine, it cannot show up for any search query in that search engine. | ||
| − | A sitemap is particularly helpful to websites that | + | A sitemap is particularly helpful to websites that: |
| − | * several pages that aren't linked to from other prominent pages | + | * have several pages that aren't linked to from other prominent pages |
| − | * lots of pages | + | * have lots of pages |
| − | * | + | * have pages that aren't showing up in search engines |
| + | * have pages whose only inbound links are hidden from search engines because they're in something like Flash | ||
==Types of Sitemaps== | ==Types of Sitemaps== | ||
| + | <div style="float:right; margin-left:1em;"><YouTube>hi5DGOu1uA0</YouTube></div> | ||
| + | The simplest kind is an HTML sitemap, that is just like another web page. You have probably seen these on some sites, as a "sitemap" link in the footer. An HTML sitemap is as simple to create as any other page on your website, so it doesn't require special tools or skills. Unlike the other types of sitemaps, it doesn't require additional steps like submitting it to search engines. | ||
| − | + | HTML sitemaps work well for smaller sites, with less than about 100 pages. If your site has more than 100 pages, if you don't want a "sitemap" link, or if you'd like to try something more complicated, consider the sitemap options below. | |
| + | *A [http://www.sitemaps.org/protocol.php#otherformats simple text file] with one URL per line | ||
| + | *An [http://www.sitemaps.org/protocol.php#otherformats RSS feed] (typically for blogs) | ||
| + | *An [[Complex Sitemap|XML sitemap]] using the [[Complex Sitemap|Sitemap Protocol]] | ||
| − | + | For more information on [[Complex Sitemap|these sitemap options '''click here''']]. Note that with these options you will need to submit or specify the sitemap in order for it to do any good. | |
| − | + | To the right is a video of Matt Cutts (of [[Google]]) discussing why HTML and XML sitemaps are both helpful. | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | To the right is a | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
==Points of Order== | ==Points of Order== | ||
* Sitemaps are purely supplementary. Web pages not in a sitemap can still be found and indexed other ways, such as through links. | * Sitemaps are purely supplementary. Web pages not in a sitemap can still be found and indexed other ways, such as through links. | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
* Creating and submitting a sitemap in no way guarantees that search engines will choose to index all the pages. It helps them find the content, but they will only index it if they like what they see. | * Creating and submitting a sitemap in no way guarantees that search engines will choose to index all the pages. It helps them find the content, but they will only index it if they like what they see. | ||
==Additional Resources== | ==Additional Resources== | ||
| − | + | * [http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=156184 Google Webmaster Central about Sitemaps in general], [http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=183668 creating sitemaps]... | |
| − | * [http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=156184 Google Webmaster Central about Sitemaps in general], [http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=183668 creating sitemaps] | ||
__NOTOC__ | __NOTOC__ | ||
Revision as of 19:44, 22 July 2010
The purpose of a sitemap (aka site map) is to help search engine spiders and crawlers find and index all the pages on a website, and faster than they may otherwise.
Indexing is important because if a page on a website hasn't been indexed by a search engine, it cannot show up for any search query in that search engine.
A sitemap is particularly helpful to websites that:
- have several pages that aren't linked to from other prominent pages
- have lots of pages
- have pages that aren't showing up in search engines
- have pages whose only inbound links are hidden from search engines because they're in something like Flash
Types of Sitemaps
The simplest kind is an HTML sitemap, that is just like another web page. You have probably seen these on some sites, as a "sitemap" link in the footer. An HTML sitemap is as simple to create as any other page on your website, so it doesn't require special tools or skills. Unlike the other types of sitemaps, it doesn't require additional steps like submitting it to search engines.
HTML sitemaps work well for smaller sites, with less than about 100 pages. If your site has more than 100 pages, if you don't want a "sitemap" link, or if you'd like to try something more complicated, consider the sitemap options below.
- A simple text file with one URL per line
- An RSS feed (typically for blogs)
- An XML sitemap using the Sitemap Protocol
For more information on these sitemap options click here. Note that with these options you will need to submit or specify the sitemap in order for it to do any good.
To the right is a video of Matt Cutts (of Google) discussing why HTML and XML sitemaps are both helpful.
Points of Order
- Sitemaps are purely supplementary. Web pages not in a sitemap can still be found and indexed other ways, such as through links.
- Creating and submitting a sitemap in no way guarantees that search engines will choose to index all the pages. It helps them find the content, but they will only index it if they like what they see.
Additional Resources